Every year Netflix, Hallmark and Lifetime bring us an array of Christmas Romance movies to get us in the holiday spirit. With so many options to go through, you might be thinking to yourself “how can I possibly know which movies are worth watching?” Fortunately, you have me to do some in-depth, investigative research to help you decide how to spend your precious time during this ridiculously busy time of year.

Last year I reviewed 9 Netflix Christmas movies, this year I reviewed 5 more movies to help give you a little more information before you invest 90 minutes watching a crappy movie. I already did that, you shouldn’t have to.

Food plays an essential role in any trip you take. Because let’s face it, you gotta eat. But what happens when you have food allergies? Suddenly you don’t have access to your specialty food items that are a mainstay of your normal, at-home diet, and depending on your type of allergy or food sensitivity, you have to roll the dice when you go out to eat hoping that all the ingredients are as described on the menu, or by the waiter. It’s a gamble that can have very unfortunate consequences. So I thought I’d share a few of my tips for traveling with food allergies.

Fortunately for me, my food allergies aren’t deadly, but they sure hell are a nuisance. Earlier this year I conducted a 6 food elimination diet and found that gluten, eggs and soy inflamed my esophagus. When consumed with any regularity, this causes chronic inflammation in the esophagus and a horrible choking sensation when I try to eat (and sometimes drink). Obviously, I now know to avoid foods with those ingredients.

Hey everyone. It’s been super quiet on the blog front, and for that I’m sorry. When I started this venture less than two years ago I committed to myself to blog weekly at the very minimum and I had a strong streak going on there for a while.

But you know, life.

Things happen, you burn out or you focus on other ventures.i’ve been up to the latter. Over the past couple of months, I have re-focused my attention on my novel writing. As some of you know, I’ve participated in National Novel Writing Month for several years now and write as a hobby, not just on this blog but fiction writing as well. Last November I started a project I was excited about, a paranormal/urban fantasy in the vein of Illona Andrews, Patricia Briggs and Nalini Singh. Well, I can only hope anything I write even remotely measures up to those authors, but I knew I wanted to give this whole wanting to be an author dream a real shot.

Six months down, six more to go. With 2018 halfway over, I thought now would be a good opportunity to check in to see how I am doing on my 3-2-1 plan.

At the beginning of each year, I like to set some new travel goals for myself. While I don’t always know everywhere I plan to go, I do make sure I go somewhere, and the rubric for types of trips remains the same. It’s as easy as 3-2-1. If you don’t know what the 3-2-1- travel plan is, here’s a brief recap:

Travel is an essential part of my life and having my travel essentials makes taking trips (and preparing for them) sooo much easier. Below, in no particular order, is the list of my 7 travel essentials.

8,500 feet above Palm Springs lies Mount San Jacinto, a California State Park that boasts 50 miles of hiking trails and provides a stunning view of the city below.

But how do you get up there — to the top of a mountain jutting out of flat land?

Well, via tramcar. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway specifically.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the world’s largest rotating tram car. Yes, you read that correctly. This tram not only travels 2.5 miles up several thousand feet, but it rotates as it does so. Two full revolutions over the course of 10 minutes to be exact. The slow turning allows riders to get 360-degree views as the car ascends.

So, you want to visit Palm Springs and take this trip up the mountain? Here’s what you need to know:

Bath, England holds a special place in my heart. For three months in grad school, I lived in a teeny tiny dorm room and attended classes at the University of Bath. After spending the previous three months struggling to do graduate level work in German while studying in Berlin, this quaint English town provided a lot of respite from day 1 when the person handing me my key to the dorm asked me about my journey to England and told me to email my family to let them know I arrived safely. She led me behind the office counter, something she admitted she wasn’t supposed to do, so that I could send an email or two.

It also didn’t hurt that Europe was shaking off the winter weather and spring was just beginning when I arrived in early April of 2009.

I recently went back to Bath, eager to see the city again. I remembered how to navigate to the main attractions, but found myself googling the location of the Indian Restaurant I liked to frequent when I lived there. It felt strange, yet comforting to be back in the city. I spent most of the day reconciling my memories of Bath with what was right in front of me.

While I would have loved to spend the night so that I could have more time exploring my old haunts, for most travelers, a day trip to Bath is all you need. And with the UK’s great rail system, taking a train from London to Bath is quick and convenient with many time options for departure and return rides.

Have you caught royal wedding fever? Maybe you are reading a few too many articles from US Weekly about what the wedding will look like, how Megan is breaking all the rules or paying tribute to the late Diana during the ceremony? I know I am. And I’m not too embarrassed by it either. I also may or may not be hosting a royal wedding watch party… but that’s neither here nor there.

So, in honor of the pending nuptials of Prince Harry (last name unknown) and Meghan Markle, I thought it would be fun to review the different royalty-based movies and television shows available in the world. In case one Saturday in May isn’t going to give you your fill of royal love stories.

People sometimes ask me how I pay for my trips. And the truth is simple: I’m really good at saving my money; I try to be as loyal as possible to one travel booking site (you know, within reason); and I use my travel rewards credit cards for the bulk of my daily purchases, whether I’m buying a flight or just picking up groceries. Here are some of the strategies I used saving up for my most recent trip and how I saved a few bucks during the trip itself:

If you’re in or around Madrid, do yourself a favor and plan a day trip to Segovia, Spain. Located about 60 miles northwest of Madrid, this UNESCO World Heritage City boasts a unique fortress rich with history, a gorgeous Gothic cathedral, and one of the best preserved Roman aqueducts remaining in the world.

Erica Root is a public affairs professional by day, travel blogger by night. When she isn’t planning her next trip she can be found with a glass of wine (red, of course), her puppy Theodore, and a good book. You can follow her adventures, and those of her traveling companion Panda, by subscribing to her newsletter and following her on her Instagram.